


The Day Tony Found out His Boyfriend Was a Supervillain

by LokasennaHiddleston



Series: Avengers Academy Shorts [4]
Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Crack, Angst, Crack, Fluff and Angst, Loki Feels, M/M, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-03-17
Packaged: 2018-05-27 06:18:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6273112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokasennaHiddleston/pseuds/LokasennaHiddleston
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki has a problem. With Baron Zemo set to join Avengers Academy, he risks Anthony finding out of his previous schemes. He means to make sure Zemo keeps his mouth shut--but things never work out for Loki when they most matter.<br/>What will Tony do when he finds out his boyfriend once planned to destroy Avengers Academy?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Day Tony Found out His Boyfriend Was a Supervillain

**Author's Note:**

> A few important notes on this one. First off, in case the tag didn't make it obvious, this story references to events in the story quests. Depending on where you are in the game, it may be a SPOILER for you.  
> Second, in case you have recently started playing or are not a player at all - Baron Zemo was recruitable a few weeks ago, for real money. I don't actually have him, but I do know his actions and they are in part referenced.  
> Third, this story is pretty much completely AU since nothing like this happens in the game's story (for obvious reasons).  
> That being said, enjoy the story! Next update will probably be The Most Destructive Emotion!

When Loki had decided on destroying Avengers Academy, he had not planned for Tony Stark. He had not expected the Midgardian would become so important to him.

He hadn't expected falling in love.

And as much as he would have normally shied away from the sentiment, right now, he couldn't afford to do so, because right now, he had a serious problem.

As long as Anthony had not known about Loki's original schemes, their relationship had worked wonderfully. Loki had been glad to lose himself in Anthony and rearrange his priorities.

However, the world kept turning despite Loki's change of heart, and there had been others who'd known about Loki's plans.

Baron Zemo was set to join Avengers Academy. This was a disaster.

Loki was quite carefully and silently panicking. Because with Zemo here, it was only a matter of time until Anthony found out the truth. Norns only knew how the man had managed to wriggle his way in.

Granted, he would not be the first student with sketchy allegiances. Loki and Amora aside, there was Anthony Masters. But Masters was the mercenary sort and he didn't seem to care about allegiances. Most importantly, he hadn't been aware of Loki's plans. Zemo, on the other hand... He was dangerous.

There was no way around it. Zemo had to go. But how?

This was what brought Loki to the Robo Dojo, randomly destroying some of the metallic creations as he considered his predicament. He couldn't seem to focus on his studies and he was bored to death of dancing, so unleashing destruction it was.

Zemo had not yet been recruited, and he was quite obsessed with Hydra. He could still be dissuaded from his path.

But Loki had to take a careful approach. He hadn't been very discreet so far in his relationship with Anthony, and the results were showing.

Loki threw another bolt of energy at the robot. Perhaps he could turn Steve Rogers against Zemo. But no, the Captain hated him, and just the idea of going to Rogers in any matter made Loki's skin crawl. The man would probably work with Hydra just to spite Loki—and to get a chance at stealing Anthony from him.

The thought angered Loki so much that a rush of uncontrolled telekinetic energy burst from him, without him needing to channel it through his spear. All the robots exploded into little pieces. Loki wished it had made him feel better, but it really didn't.

It did, however, attract some unexpected attention. Seconds later, Anthony landed in front of the Robo Dojo. He lifted his face plate and arched a brow. "What did my robots do to you?"

Today, Anthony was wearing his full armor. He'd only recently completed it, and Loki was very fond of it. He usually wasn't a huge fan of the red and gold color scheme—it had always been Thor's—but it suited Anthony's explosive temperament and remarkable intelligence.

Despite himself, Loki started to relax. "Nothing," he told his lover. "I was just... How do you Midgardians put it? Blowing off some steam?"

Anthony narrowed his eyes slightly. "Everything okay? Fury giving you trouble again?"

Loki would never cease being surprised of how protective Anthony could be of him. When his mother acted like that, it felt smothering, like she didn't trust him enough to be a capable adult. But with Anthony... It was different. Everything was different.

Loki left the dojo and walked to Anthony's side. "No, nothing like that. I was just thinking."

Anthony arched a brow. "Are you always so destructive when you're thinking?"

"You know I'm not. But I do occasionally enjoy unleashing destruction."

He wasn't sure Anthony actually believed him, but the mortal let the matter go regardless. It was just as well, because Loki didn't want to openly lie to Anthony, not any more than he already was. He didn't know how he'd reached this point, when he, who had once prided himself on his ability to deceive anyone, had become reluctant to use lies. It seemed that even there, Anthony was an exception.

"Well, come on then," Anthony said. "Come to the tower. Or hey, we can go to Pym's lab. Blowing stuff up is always more fun when we're together, eh?"

Loki couldn't argue with that. He laughed as he allowed Anthony to drag him away from the dojo. He still had to come up with a plan to deal with Zemo, but for the moment, he could allow himself this one indulgence.

****

Hidden in the shadows of the Arena of War, Helmut Zemo scowled. He then took advantage of the fact that no one was around to see him and scratched his nose.

Sometimes, having a purple mask fused to one's face was really uncomfortable. It was, in fact, part of the reason why he'd left Hydra Academy. Apparently, masks were all the rage—but not if they couldn't be taken off for a dramatic reveal.

Stupid Red Skull.

He'd set his hopes on Loki and the fact that the trickster had seemed so determined to destroy Avengers Academy. He had decided that joining would just hasten Loki's plans, and afterwards, he could use Loki to take over Hydra.

The problem was that, after what he'd seen since his arrival, Helmut wasn't convinced Loki was interested in taking over the academy anymore.

As of late, Loki and Stark seemed attached at the hip—a bad sign since a world conqueror didn't need anyone to ascend, and useless attachments were just liable to drag one down.. They spent a lot of time together, often displaying overt signs affection. It filled Helmut with disgust. He didn't know what to believe anymore.

As he watched the duo depart, someone else passed through the quad. It was Steve Rogers. He seemed to be headed toward the stadium, but he faltered when he caught a glimpse of the couple. His fists clenched and unclenched and he glared at their backs.

Of course! Loki was an incredible liar, the master of deception. Loki's plan to sow discontent among the superheroes was working. Clearly, the Captain had not taken well to the relationship, so it was definitely a step forward.

Naturally, Loki had to compromise a bit to make the relationship look convincing, but the end goal was what mattered. Satisfied, Helmut turned away and headed toward the Timeless Archives. There was a painting there he really liked, and it helped him think. It gave him good ideas on what to do once he returned to Hydra Academy.

Stupid Red Skull.

****

Loki couldn't sleep. He lay in his and Anthony's bed—and when had that even happened, when had he started practically living here?—and idly caressed his mortal's hair as he stared at the ceiling.

After the science fest in Pym's lab, Anthony had dragged him to the tower, where they'd proceeded to have sex in every position they could think of. Anthony had more or less fallen unconscious after his fourth orgasm, and while Loki knew his lover needed the rest, he wasn't so lucky.

Now that he didn't have Anthony distracting him, his mind automatically went back to his problem. Zemo. The man was still skulking about, and Loki had allowed Anthony to drag him away because he had no clear solution.

Zemo was arrogant and obsessed with Hydra. Why would he even leave? Why would he come here, to live under the eye of SHIELD?

Perhaps the key was merely aiding the idiot to take over his beloved organization. Loki didn't much like the idea—he knew Anthony would be against it—but it would be better than having Zemo around, spying on him and Anthony.

With a sigh, he slid out of bed. JARVIS didn't ask him where he was going. He knew Loki slept less than Anthony—which was saying something, since Anthony didn't sleep much either—and it wasn't unusual for him to go for a walk around the academy or take a sudden trip to the Archives in the middle of the night.

It was the Archives he headed for, and to his surprise, he found Zemo already there.

Well, no time like the present to address the matter at hand. Just to be safe, Loki cast a quick warding spell, guaranteeing their privacy. "Baron."

"Loki." The man greeted him. Loki hated that stupid purple mask since it made it harder for him to read Zemo. "I wished to speak to you."

"Indeed? How so?"

"I see your plan to tear the Avengers apart is going well. I congratulate you for your approach."

It was only longtime experience that allowed Loki not to give away his surprise. Instead, he smirked. "You flatter me. It has indeed paid off quite well."

"How close are you to achieving your goal?"

Loki hummed, pretending to think about it. "This is a matter of delicacy, Baron. I cannot hasten it, lest the mortals suspect. Besides, there are still issues of interest here on campus." He frowned. "I must admit your presence was a surprise. I had believed that you decided to join... the heroes."

"Of course not!" The Baron crossed his arms over his chest and mumbled "Heil Hydra" under his breath. "It is only temporary. I have every intention of returning to Hydra Academy."

"I see." He considered his next words carefully. "In the meantime, if you mean to stay, I urge you to be most discreet. I wouldn't want you to jeopardize my plans."

"I would not." Zemo huffed. "Why? Does Stark suspect?"

"He does not. I have him right where I want him." Loki rolled his eyes. "I am a god, Baron. Do you really think a mortal is a match for me?"

It ached to talk about Anthony like that, when he knew that Anthony was his match in every way. The lie was bitter on his tongue. But it would be for a good purpose. Zemo would keep his mouth shut and would leave to Hydra Academy convinced of Loki's complete dedication to the cause.

"You are, of course, correct. I admit I entertained a moment of doubt when I saw you two together."

Loki allowed himself a smile. "That is the point, Baron, to..."

He trailed off when a sudden feeling crawled over his spine. "What is it?" the Baron asked.

Loki stalked out of the Archives and immediately zeroed in on the problem. A small bush was next to the building and behind it, a tiny device was hiding.

Stark Tech. The kind of device the Widow was prone to using. It was something Anthony had made, in a fit of anger over being unable to scan the timefog. Chances were it might have caught onto what Zemo and Loki had been talking about, despite the fact that Loki had brought up his customary shields.

He crushed the device just as Zemo followed him outside. "Is everything all right?" the Baron asked.

"I think so," Loki lied, because it wouldn't do for Zemo to realize the truth. "But I'll look around for a bit, just in case. Have a good night, Baron."

Zemo nodded and returned to the Archives. Meanwhile, Loki looked up at the Tower. The lights were on. Oh, no. Anthony.

****

"Tony, wake up."

Tony cracked his eyes open, only to see Natasha hovering above him. "This is a strange dream, isn't it?" he mumbled. He must've inhaled something bad in the lab. Dr. Pym wasn't great about lab security—and coming from Tony, that was saying a lot.

Natasha poked him with her finger. "Wake up."

Her hand brushed the reactor and Tony was up in seconds. "What the hell, Natasha? What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"Scaled the wall outside." Natasha looked smug. "Hacked into your security."

Tony narrowed his eyes at her. Okay, that was a problem. He had allowed Natasha to use his tech, but apparently, he'd underestimated her and what she could do. Now that he had Loki to worry about, it was time to cut off some avenues. And besides, it seemed like Natasha was the type to take a hand when offered one finger—and Tony was not happy with someone messing with JARVIS.

"Any good reason for that?"

"You'll see. Or rather, you'll hear."

Without further ado, Natasha brought up a device, a surveillance console Tony himself had created. The sound of static filled the room and Tony blinked in surprise. The console had been created to counter interference. Had she broken it? "What the hell, Natasha? What did you—"

He was cut off by a familiar voice coming from the device. "This is a matter of delicacy," Loki said.

The conversation kept crackling, obviously blocked by heavy interference—Loki's magic, a voice at the back of Tony's mind piped up—but Tony got more than enough to realize what was going on. It was a little hard to miss it when he heard Loki say, "Do you really think a mortal is a match for me?"

Now, contrary to what people on campus might have believed, Tony was well aware of Loki's most dangerous tendencies. How could he not be, when Loki had just come off cursing the beach in an apparent attempt to enslave them all?

Still, that didn't mean he was ready for being confronted with the undeniable evidence that Loki had stabbed him in the back. For a few seconds, the arc reactor in his chest felt ten times heavier. He felt like the time he'd woken up in the cave, fresh off open heart surgery, only to realize he had only one week to live.

The connection with the bug went dead. Natasha cursed and fiddled with the dials. Tony was impossibly grateful that she wasn't looking at him. He couldn't have hidden his reaction to what he'd just learned.

It shouldn't have hurt as much as it did. This was Loki and he always had schemes and plans and all sorts of ideas. But Tony had thought Loki had lost interest in whatever goals he'd had before. He'd thought they shared something special. And okay, maybe Tony had willfully ignored some stuff because he'd been so head over heels in love. But surely, he hadn't been that blind.

Who was he kidding? He had a history of missing the obvious when it came to people close to him. Last time, it had been Obie. Now, it was Loki, and God, it hurt even more.

Before he could agonize over it too much, Loki manifested into the room. "Anthony. I see you have been busy. Should I be worried about finding you naked with someone else?"

Natasha was instantly off the bed and pointed a gun at Loki. "Don't play games, Loki," she said. "We're on to you. We know you're the one who's been feeding Hydra information."

Loki's face was impossible to read. More than anything, Tony wished Natasha wasn't here so that he could actually talk to Loki.

And then Loki briefly glimpsed toward him. There was nothing distinctive about that look, but suddenly, suddenly, Tony knew what he needed to do.

He chuckled. "Oh, come on, Nat. Did you really think that was real?"

Natasha turned and gaped at him—well, insofar as she could ever gape. She expressed surprise anyway, which was progress, since she never did anything like that.

"What?"

"I knew all about it. Loki and I have been using it to look into the workings of Hydra and AIM."

To his credit, Loki showed no sign of shock, but Natasha didn't look convinced. "We already have a double agent looking into suspicious activities."

Tony gave her a dubious look. "Right, the infamous Spider-Woman. I've heard Jan enthuse about her. Sorry, but I'm not convinced."

"Indeed, Widow." Loki arched a perfect black brow. "For all that you find kinship in having yet another bug-themed heroine, I find no reason to trust her. And I think you don't either."

"I don't trust anyone," Natasha said, "but that doesn't mean her information is bad. And there is Amora's little pet to consider."

"The Enchantress?" Loki asked in disbelief. "Truly, Widow. I am beginning to feel I overestimated your intelligence. If there is anyone you cannot trust, it is her."

"Oh, and I suppose you're far more reliable."

"I am not so different from anyone here." Loki glided through the room, looking as calm and composed as ever. "I have my goals, and I have incentive to accomplish them." He joined Tony on the bed and threaded their fingers together. "Very strong incentive."

For the longest time, Natasha didn't say anything. Tony did his best not to look too panicky, but he didn't know how successful he was.

Finally, Natasha huffed. "Fine. I get that. But I'm still taking this to Fury. This has to be a sanctioned op."

"Right," Tony drawled. "Like all the sanctioned ops you've been scheduling around the timefog. Oh, and that tidbit about you thinking of recruiting a thief to sneak into HQ and to find out what Fury is hiding. Sanctioned like that, you mean?"

"I trust one person in this whole realm, Widow," Loki added, "and that is Anthony. I will never respond to anyone else."

Natasha wrinkled her nose. "Right. I almost believed that one."

Without another word, Natasha stalked out of the penthouse and onto the Iron Man platform. Then, she proceeded to scale down the wall, which... What the fuck? That woman was scary.

"Anthony..." Loki started once she was gone.

Tony lifted a hand. "Wait. In a minute."

The first thing he did was pull on a pair of pajama bottoms—because this was not something he could do naked. Then, he went on to reboot JARVIS's systems. Once JARVIS was up and running—and seriously, he was going to do something nasty to Natasha for screwing with Jay—he had JARVIS scan for any bugs Natasha might have left behind. Loki helped, and together, they found three different listening devices, most of them SHIELD issue.

Once they were destroyed, Loki made a complicated gesture which Tony recognized as him casting magic. "We're safe now," he said. "I cast a stronger spell. Not even your tech can hear us now."

"Great," Tony answered. "That's just great. It's too bad you couldn't think of doing it sooner, huh? That way I might never have figured out the truth."

Loki flinched. "I am so sorry, Anthony. I swear to you, I... I never meant for this to happen."

"What did you mean for then?"

Loki plopped down on the bed—their bed, where they'd been together mere hours before. He stared at his hands, as if he couldn't quite bring himself to look at Tony. "It's true that when I came to the Academy, my goal was to destroy the Avengers. I... I believed that Midgard might hold the key to me finally becoming stronger, finally proving to everyone on Asgard that I could be better than Thor, claiming the throne for myself."

"What could we possibly do against your dad?"

Loki's lips twisted into a small, bitter smile. "Midgard has many secrets. And Odin is not all-powerful. I have felt the remnants of a Bifrost bridge, beyond the timefog. If we can figure out how to clear more of the timefog, I had tentatively planned to use it to bring an army of Frost Giants against Asgard."

Tony's breath caught. "Loki..."

At that, Loki finally looked up. "I know. I know, Anthony. But I swear to you, I no longer wish for that. Now that I have found you, I have no need for the throne."

Tony hesitated. He wanted to believe it. In his heart, maybe he did, because otherwise he wouldn't have lied to Natasha for Loki.

"Then why the whole thing, with Zemo?"

"Originally, he was part of the plan. I believe he grew suspicious of our relationship, of my motives. None of what I said to him was true, Anthony. You are my match in every way."

Loki was looking at him with those eyes, the deep Bambi eyes that rivaled even Cap's puppy-dog look. Tony groaned and padded to Loki's side.

He plopped down on the bed and pressed his forehead to Loki's. "Oh, babe. What am I going to do with you?"

Loki's arms wrapped around him. He was trembling slightly and his heart was hammering. "Just this time... I beg you. Give me a chance. I will not fail you again."

And Tony knew how proud Loki was. He never begged and never admitted that he needed anyone. Even in his ploys, everything was smoothly phrased. He tended to lose his temper when someone made a point to mention his family, but even then, he stubbornly held onto his pride. Today, since Natasha had left, everything was almost brutal, sort of clumsy—staggering.

So Tony believed him. But he also had to make things clear for Loki. This wasn't something he could just brush to the side. The beach thing had ended up fairly harmless, but an elaborate plan like this was an entirely different story.

He pulled away from Loki and gave his lover a serious look. "Babe. The last time I was betrayed, I got open heart-surgery with no anesthetic in a cave in Afghanistan. I've still got shrapnel in the chest to remind me."

Loki's breath caught, but Tony continued, undettered. "I'm not gonna lie. This is difficult. But... People change. And to be perfectly honest, right now, I don't think I can break up with you anyway, so... Okay. Just this once."

Loki's eyes went very wide and very liquid. Bambi-eyes, damn it. "Truly?"

"Yes."

Loki pulled him close once again, his hold so tight it was almost painful. "Thank you, Anthony. I swear to you, you will not regret it."

For the longest time, they just sat there holding onto each other. It wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world. Loki had recently taken to wearing this Asgardian ensemble which had more buckles and metal than what he'd worn before, and Tony was still bare-chested, so it all sort of dug into his skin. But he found that he didn't really mind. It wasn't the perfect hug, but relationships weren't perfect either. And yeah, usually, problems within a couple didn't show up because one of its members wanted to take over the world—but Tony liked to fly around in a suit of armor and Loki was an alien, so of course their problems would be on an entirely different level.

If nothing else, life would never be boring.

Slowly, Loki began to relax too, probably becoming convinced Tony meant what he had said. Tony looked at his lover again and was instantly on alarm when he saw Loki's expression."I know that look. Are you scheming again?"

"Not exactly," Loki defended himself. "I was only thinking... It matters not."

Tony arched a brow. He wasn't going to question every single thing Loki did. That would just be a recipe for disaster. "Anything that's liable to blow up in our faces?"

"Hopefully not," Loki replied after a brief moment of hesitation. "But don't worry. It's not related to world domination or anything like that. Just something to keep you safe."

Keep him safe, huh? "As long as you don't decide to attack Fury overnight, I'm good."

"No, nothing like that." Loki licked his lips, now looking nervous. "I just recalled that I had to speak with my mother in a matter related to you."

The answer satisfied Tony. Loki was always going to have his secrets—it was his nature—and Tony could hardly nag him to tell him every single thing. They had a shitton of issues—and clearly at one point, they'd have to talk about them more, but he'd chosen to trust Loki, and in that moment, he really felt it had been the right thing to do.

"Okay," he said. "Now come on. Come to bed. I'm beat and I need to upgrade the security tomorrow. Seriously tired of Natasha sneaking in past security."

Loki laughed and waved off their clothes. "If you want to,I will start on putting up those wards we've been postponing."

"Sounds, good, Lo. JARVIS."

"Of course, Sir," JARVIS said. "Good night."

JARVIS dimmed the lights. And in all honesty, Tony had actually planned to get at least some making out in, but instead, he found himself curling against Loki's chest. Loki murmured something in Asgardian, and even if Tony didn't actually understand it, he still replied.

"I love you too, Lo."

He drifted off into sleep to the sound of Loki's steady heartbeat and the absolute knowledge that he was safe.

  



End file.
